The Walk Away Technique
 

In light of Tim's "Run Him?" thread, I would like to discuss the technique of turning and walking away from a coach, rat or player who is arguing a call. Please consider the following actions by a game participant towards an umpire whose back is turned and who is moving in the opposite direction:

1) Continues yelling at the umpire
2) Re-enacts the play
3) Gives the umpire the finger
4) Incites yelling from the fans
5) Follows the umpire to whereever he is going
6) Says "hang on can we have an appeal?"
7) Acts like a victim and starts complaining to various game participants that the umpire walked away from him and wouldn't give him an explanation

All the actions I listed are something that a rat might do to show up an umpire who is walking away from the play but cannot see whatever the rat is doing. How should an umpire (or his partner) deal with the actions listed above?

:o

Hope you like my answers.

Why the distinction between coaches, rats and players?

Big Rat, Invisible Rats, Little Rats.

With Respect
 

I did not read the other thread, though I will now, but the second you turn your back IMO you lose control of the game and situation. IMO you are giving the person arguing a free shot to say or do anything he wants before either going to the dugout, or doing something to get ejected.

Also, IMO, turning away is to me going to be perceived as "blinking", you are showing weakness by turning away from the other person in the discussion.

If you are in a situation you can't blink, and you have to see it through to the end.

Your list of responses are good ideas, but I wouldn't use them.

With Respect (con't)
 

I must admit I am in the no big deal camp here with this discussion. Nor do I think the BU was in the area too long. I'd get out when I can, and leave the 3B coach talking to air, but BU was not there too long, and as long as 3B is not hostile, he can say his piece, and then get out there.

I have only used the walk away a couple of times. I think its best used when you've given your answer, and the coach is starting to go loony either arguing the same point, or arguing a separate issue, or arguing something that is meaningless.

A good, smart coach will realize it is your way of keeping him in the game. If you ain't there, he doesn't have anyone to talk to, and if he doesn't have anyone to talk to, he can't get dumped.

Its kind of like an implied warning.

But don't use it in times when it can show a weakness.

The reason that walking away is a bad idea is it make you appear unapproachable. That will only lead to more problems.

Also, it makes it look like you "blinked" like stated earlier. But most important, it also appears that you don't believe your call enough to "discuss" it with the coach.

If you are a good official, and well respected, they are not going to go too ballistic on you, and usually the exchange is going to be short.

Unapproachable = rat-speak for "you won't sit here and take my bull$hit"

This is a load of bull. The best officials have coaches go off on them all the time for the some of the dumbest reasons.


Tim.

Best of the best in Major League Baseball, and the managers and coaches NEVER go ballistic on them. And D-I NCAA. Never seen anyone go ballistic on them. :rolleyes:

It's one thing to advocate techniques to minimize confrontations, it's another to live in fantasy land.

Once the "discussion" has started, the umpire should turn only once it is over. The partner should be there to escort the coach back to the cage and deal with any clean-up.

That's different however, from turnign to go back to position after the call and *before* the discussion. Too many umpire, imo, make a call, then stand around to admire it and /or (worse) look to teh coach for affirmation. That just invites a discussion. Make the call and hustle to your next position.

Don't see an issue in turning to your position after the rat has had his reasonable say. Otherwise there would be little point in saying, "Thats enough, lets play ball" if he just kept fussing and held you there rooted to the spot. That shows you are in control of the situation, in that you can terminate it at any time and have a position to get to. Any more histrionics/following by the rat makes him the aggressor, which makes your next action all the more easy.

And I second that.

The best way to handle these situations is to:

1. Learn the rules.

2. Employ good mechanics.

3. Be decisive and be confident. If you know 1. and 2. this will come naturally.

4. Learn what to say and when to say it. This can't be taught. Some never learn this. You learn this through trial and error.

5. If you give respect (where warranted) you will be respected.

In other words become a good umpire and get away from bad baseball where most of this happens.

I think you'll find the majority of the really ugly situations involve coaches who have noone to answer to such as a Principal, Athletic Director, Park District etc. When working such games Coaches have no lee way. I have my hands around their neck. The first time I hear (from a Coach) "where was that pitch" The mask comes off and I'll ask "are we discussing balls and strikes" The answer is no and rarely if ever am I bothered again. If I'm doing good baseball will I do this? I may or may not. It just depends. I have no fast and hard rules in handling situations. Suffice it to say "I just know what to do".

We all started doing bad baseball. Confrontations can be avoided if you know the rules, and employ good mechanics. When they do occur you have to take care of business.

Exactly my point. 100%.

Things must be VERY different in the midwest my friend.

I am interested BigUmp and Rich, how often do coaches come out on you? If you did 20 games, how many times would you guys either have to issue a warning about arguing anything and/or have a coach come out and argue a call?

Also, how many ejections do you two have this year? Last year?

[QUOTE=rei]I am interested BigUmp and Rich, how often do coaches come out on you? If you did 20 games, how many times would you guys either have to issue a warning about arguing anything and/or have a coach come out and argue a call?

Also, how many ejections do you two have this year? Last year?[/QUOTE

If you have a lot of ejections (assuming you know how to officate) you are either working crap games or your'e not good at handling situations.

The easiest thing is to be a hard *** and dump people. The challenge is to defuse the situation and keep them in the game. The line they have to cross in order for me to eject varies depending on the situation. Suffice it to say I know when to send them to the parking lot.

The easiest thing is to learn game management. When you dump someone you have to write a report!! I don't have coachs come out on me anymore. I was involved with 2 ejections this year, one I ej'd a player, and the other my partner ej'd a HC.

[QUOTE=gordon30307]Thanks gordon, but I was sort of inquiring about BigUmp and Rich. ;)

I don't necessarily agree that : crap games = more ejections . I umpire a bit for an adult league and don't find it necessary to dump guys very often.

For many years, I was that guy who complained a lot about people complaining about the job I do. I would have called them "rats" and the other popular names some like to use around here. I would stand around more or less bragging about how I "took care of that rat" who DARED to question my supreme authority and judgment on the field. :rolleyes:

Simply, I was not a very good official. I was making just about as many right call as I do now. But, I had a chip on my shoulder, a lousy "I am in charge" attitude, and came across as very unapproachable.

There is a saying amongst a group of people that work together to solve their common problem. It is: If you keep doing what you have been doing, you will keep getting what you have been getting.

Another way you can put that is: If you are at odds with people all over the place, remember, YOU were always there.

Another way I will put it is this: If you are resorting to calling coaches/players/fans, "rats", and find that they are complaining a lot, YOU are that reason.

Simply, I am doing games with those same "rats". Once I changed MY attitude about umpiring, the complaining mostly went away! PERIOD!!!

Many excellent officials tried to guide me to this early on. I wouldn't listen. I always had an excuse, which was usually how wrong they were, and how they should never question my judgment and authority. I truly believed that they should "respect" me no matter what! Looking back, I never did much to EARN that respect, but I sure expected it!

I recently umpired a league playoff game for the high school summer league we have here. The Head Coach of the home team is a guy I have know for about 18 years now. His team must win this game to get into the state tournament. I have done numerous plate jobs in important games for his teams through the years. He has almost never said a thing about anything to me. He has come out and asked about calls, but has never shown me up, prolonged the confrontation, or yelled at me.

So, I am doing this game. I am not seeing the ball too well that day. They just installed artificial turf, and they put it all the way up to the plate. This was the first game they played on it, and the stuff is still very shiny. It doesn't help that it was a early evening game, and I face due West. I just had a heck of a time seeing the ball.

I know I made some questionable calls. I knew IT WAS ME.

This coach who almost never says a word, he is starting to chirp, which is very unlike him towards me (although, I have heard him go ballistic on others...) I ask him to stop. He keeps going. I tell that is enough. He keeps going. I take the mask off and tell him "No more Tom." He stops, and doesn't say another word the rest of the game about pitches.

I have him again in state semi-final game. Before the plate meeting, as I was walking by him I say "Hey Tom, you aren't grumpy today are you?". He chuckles and says "I am NEVER grumpy" with a big ol' sh*t grin. Another game without a word from him.

Is that a show of respect? I never once told him that he cannot argue balls and strikes. I never gave off a "Do it or else" aire to him. I even got to poke a little fun at him and have him joke back at himself. I have MANY other stories like this.

The point I am making is simply, if you are at odds with people on the field, CHANGE WHAT YOU ARE DOING! I DO NOT see the top notch officials in my area having much of a hard time at all with people complaining. People just don't complain that much when these guys work at game. These guys GET the highest degree of respect and courtesy because they GIVE the highest degree of respect and courtesy.

We are arbiters. Part of this job means that people are going to be upset by our decisions. That is the FACT of the advocation we do. If you expect to be successful in doing this job, you HAVE to learn how to persuade people to do what you want without making the situation worse. That requires quite a bit of humility, a calm nature, and high self esteem. You have to be ABOVE the little stuff. While I pay attention to all things on the field, I am not going to get offended because a guy come unglued a little bit. I am not going to call him a "rat" because he *****ed a bit. These guys are usually fierce competitors, and strong emotions wane and flow.

I never suggest not taking care of business that needs to be taken care of. I simply suggest that you don't do things that make it worse. Being standoffish, arrogant, pretentious, and unapproachable get you into trouble. Being lazy, careless, and inconsistent come next. Take care of THOSE things and I can guarantee you that the amount of complaining will be so little that you just won't mention it much.

Wow!

Well, about the same for me. Except, I have only had one ejection this summer. So, three ejections, 103 games so far. Not bad. ;) Maybe 4 warnings about arguing. Maybe had a coach come out asking about a call 5 or 6 times.

Pretty tame year!

High school doesn't count anymore. I truly believe ejections are only down because most states have implemented a suspension/fine system for ejections.

I now see how you have 1200 posts per year!

There's more where that came from. :)

FWIW, I had a lot more to say, but it was based more on my experience with basketball refs who think the fact they never call a technical foul says a lot about how great they are. Since I'm only getting started learning the rules (really learning them beyond that of a teenage player) of baseball, I decided against imparting my $.0000000000005 worth.

You know, discretion and valor and all that crap.

College coaches know when they are going to get run and when they cross the line, they usually aren't surprised. A JUCO coach I had to eject this season screamed some of the most personal stuff I had ever heard from the dugout after I balked in a run in the last inning. It was a no-brainer balk, too - I hadn't seen a pitcher blow through a set that badly in years. This guy actually was surprised he got run, mainly because he hires all his own umpires and most will tolerate anything to get games at the local JUCO. And many wouldn't call a balk if the pitcher fell off the mound, either. :)

We agree on the high school statistics. A group of five of us go to the rules meetings and usually account for over 10% of the state's ejections for the previous season (I was on the field for 3 this season, none by me, although I got practice playing rodeo clown. Many times this is in the playoffs and in at least two cases, the coaches weren't asked back or chose to leave their positions after the season. I don't think that the low ejections have to do with better behavior, though. I think it's because many umpires avoid ejecting because they know that suspension is there and is unavoidable. In a state where the regular season is exactly 20 games, a 1-game suspension is 5% of the season and, right or wrong, umpires have been known to let lines get crossed and settle for "administrative removal" by a coach rather than ejecting themselves.

Rei - I would quote your passage, but I didn't want to take up more bandwidth.

I agree with what you are saying - our courtesy + professionalism = respect.

But, you're always going to get complaining, and it has to be dealt with.

It is not a supreme power egotistical trip that needs to be gone on, its just part of doing your job.

I don't think think calling a rat a rat or a spade a spade puts you in that category of uber-umpire. It is an attitude that often is needed to be taken on the field in your own head, but never shown to others.

As Mark Hirschbeck once said in reply to game management, "Squash em like f***ing bugs."

Be professional. Be courteous. But know that in the end, you and your partner are all by yourself out there.

And, if I could add on: Rei, I believe it was you that hinted at this as well.

As you move up, and as players see more of you and know you are professional, courteous, and do your job well, the BS stops. So, it only makes sense that your EJs go down when you get to that good baseball.

They know what to say and not to say at that level. Not really the case in anything below JV level (or its summer ball equivalent).

This summer, I did a lot of games and tournaments that had traveling teams involved. I watched some partners get eaten pretty handedly (these are guys who the local guys generally complain about...so go figure...). It didn't seem to matter that I have never seen them, and they had never seen me. People actually pay a little bit of attention to how the umpires conduct themselves on the field, and little things pay off. I think I am more apt to have problems with people I am familiar with than those who have never seen me before. You give that good first impression, you get three "free innings". After that, you just need to be good. ;)

[QUOTE=rei]It is said that there are three stages that all officials go through.

1. You're bad and you know it.

2. You think you're good but you're not.

3. Others think you're bad but you KNOW your good.

Or something like that. It takes a lot of hard work to get to stage 3.

Nice post. There's a lot of truth in what you wrote.

I seriously doubt things are much different. I know a few great umpires from your neck of the woods that would agree with me. North, South, East or West, a coach is a coach, and they'll press any advantage they can to gain an edge.

Tim.

Well, you may "know" a few "great umpires" from my area, but I work with all of them. I can assure you that the truly "great" ones have relatively few problems.

It's a Hell of a thing to claim to work with all of the great umpires in the Pacific Northwest. I can only applaud such pomposity!


Tim.

WAFEASTBTBIUOTN :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

You'll have to PM the meaning of that one to me!


Tim.

I wonder if its related to IITBTSB?

As you should! ;)